1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relate to cooking vessels, and more poarticularly pertains to a new and improved self-draining pot apparatus which enables the cooking and steaming of food within said vessel with the subsequent draining of fluid utilized in the cooking procedure through floor mounted openings within said vessel.
2. Descriptoin of the Prior Art
The use of cooking vessels of various types is well known in the prior art. As may be appreciated, the cooking vessels utilized particularly with the steaming and boiling of foods, such as vegetables, has presented a somewhat cumbersome arrangement upon the culmination of the cooking procedure requiring draining of the aforenote fluid, such as water. Understandably, this fluid is of an elevated temperature and the removal thereof presents potential danger of contact with a user therof during a disposal procedure. Multi-purpose cooking vessels have been utilized in the prior art and in this connection there have been attempts to develop multi-purpose vessels which may be utilized for dual purposes, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,579,258 to Heckert wherein a griddle arrangement formed with a handle has associted therewith a spatula nestable within the griddle provided with a conduit directed channel at a plurality of corners of the griddle to enable removal of grease within the griddle or vessel. The spatula handle and the griddle handle are nestable one upon the other for convenience of plural usage of the associated apparatus. While an effective solution for the use of a griddle and an enclosed spatula arrangement, the Heckert patent provides only a means of directing grease from within the griddle and not any means of providing a draining thereof without the associated tipping and manipulation of the vessel itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,638,839 to Raiteri sets forth a beverage urn wherein a valve and a conduit is provided in an underlying relationship to the beverage urn to release of fluid within the urn. The Raiteri patent, while of interest relative to the utilization of a valving arrangement, is formed with a chamber associated with a conduit valve directing such water to a coffee making organization and accordingly is of an organization and apparatus relatively remote from the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,592,668 to Denk provides a pressure cooking vessel providing for selective discharge of fluid within the vessel wherein enclosed foods within the vessel are subject to accelerated cooking time while simultaneously circulating heat energy, cooling the foods, and discharging the heat and pressure as desired, but the Denk patent is of a relatively complex organization for a function relatively remote from that of the instant invention and is accordingly of interest only to the general recitation of a fluid removal vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,963 to Ludena sets forth an outer container fitted with an inner container therein defining a space therebetween enabling steam from thh boiling water secured between the two vessels to enter perforations and effect the cooking operation. While an effective steaming and cooking organization, the Ludena patent fails to provide means for removal of fluid subsequent to the steaming procedure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,505 to Herbrand sets forth a boiler appartus to enable the boiling and cooking of individual jars therein with associated racks and lids and are provided with a spigot positioned at an underlying relation to enclose fluid to enable discharge of said fluid upon the cooking operation. The Herbrand patent provides a fluid removal valve, but is of a relatively crude and awkward organization relative to the instant invention.
As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for a new and improved self-draining pot apparatus which addresses both the problem fo effectiveness of cooking and subsequent draining of cooking fluid, and in this respect the present invention substantially fulfils this need.